Addendum
Straits Times, 15 September 2003
Aussie plan to avoid Sars may hit Singapore
“While he (Australian Tourist Minister, Joe Hockey) was short on detail about the Australian contingency plan, it is clear he has a number of options up his sleeve.
“Diverting flights through the Gulf region is one possibility,” he added…..
….. The nation’s tourism industry is worth A$17 billion and employs around 500,000 people. Another fall in overseas arrivals (due Sars) would be an economic disaster.
“Australia has to, as far as it can, inoculate itself against the risk of a further tourism downturn,” Mr Hockey said.”
In Mr Hockey’s “ruffled feather” smoothing “clarification” printed in today’s Straits Times (16 Sept. 2003), the following emerged:
High Opinion of Singapore
“It is a misunderstanding of Minister Hockey’s position to suggest that Australia has anything but the highest opinion for Singapore’s arrangements (for dealing with Sars outbreaks). That said, Australia has an array of contingency plans in place or being developed should any adverse incidents occur overseas in any number of markets.”
- A spokesman for Australian Tourism Minister Joe Hockey.
No Need for Panic
“Lets not panic, because I don’t think the intention is to prematurely move operations out of Singapore.”
- Mr Peter Negline, an aviation analyst, who thinks it makes good business sense to have contingency planning ready in the event of a repeat Sars outbreak
I’d say EK has a very bright future in the Europe/Mid East – Oz market, in light of the imminent delivery of their ultra long range aircraft.